Weft-replenishing loom.



No. 765,453. PATENTED' JULY 19, 1904.

W. H. BAKER.

WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 29, 1903.

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PATENTED JULY 19, 1904.

W. H. BAKER. WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1903.

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I'm-lineman No. 765,453. PATENTED JULY 19, 1904.

W. H. BAKER. WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 29, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 19, 1904.

WILLIAM H. BAKER, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND.

WEFT-REPLENISHING LOOIVI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,453, dated July 19, 1904.

Application filed-April 29, 1903. Serial No. 154,818. (Nomodel-l looms wherein the weft or filling when nearly exhausted is automatically replenished by changing the shuttle and without stopping the loom. In that class of looms the degree of exhaustion of the weft or filling in the running shuttle is indicated by a detector mechanism, and such mechanism when the weft in the running shuttle becomes exhausted to a predetermined extent sets in operation a weft-' replenishing mechanism.

One object of the invention is the provision of means for preventing the accidental jarring or shaking of the lowermost shuttle out of the magazine after the same has been dropped to the position whence it is transferred by the placer to the shuttle-box.

Another object of the invention is to improve the feeler device by which the substantial exhaustion of the weft or filling in the running shuttle is indicated and which is adapted to set for operation thereplenishing mechanism.

A further object of theinvention is to provide an improved swinging shuttle-box in combination with an automatic stop-motion actuated from the swell in the shuttlebox, enabling such stop motions to be employed in looms 0f the class above referred to having swinging shuttle-boxes of a known kind.

My invention will be understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic shuttle changing loom having my improvements relating to the magazine applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a side View of portions of the loom, showing my improved feeler device. Fig. 4 is an enlarged View of the feeler proper and a section of the shuttle-box. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 is a front elevation, of the lay, showing the construction of my'improved stop-motion in its normal position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the sameand Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 6, but showing the shuttle-box swung upward to discharge the shuttle.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the several views.

I will first describe that part of my invention which relates to the improvements in the shuttle-magazine and the means for transferring a shuttle from the magazine. This part of my invention is applicable to a magazine having spring-detents, segregating pins, or the like actuated by a placer of the type described in the specification of United States patent granted to F. E. Kip and myself, No. 749,979, January 19, 1904. In that patent the shuttle is moved over to the lay by a placer carried upon an arm hinged, preferably, on the swing-rail, and simultaneously with the movement of the placer in placing a shuttle on the lay the shuttle-box opposite to the placer is swung back out of the way to eject the exhausted shuttle. The mechanism for operating the placer and shuttle-box comprises an upright guide hinged to the swing-rail and extending up to the lay. Connecting a slide on said guide and end plates of the shuttle-box is an upright rod, which when the slide is lifted swings the box backward. Simultaneously with the swinging of the shuttle-box the placer is made to move up to the lay and place a fresh shuttle thereon. cams, which are brought into operative position upon the substantial exhaustion of the weft or filling through the medium of a suitable detector-feeler. I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate or describe in detail such mechanism, as my. invention is not re stricted in its patent to the specific mechanism of the application above referred to, but may be employed in connection with any other suitable mechanism. As applied to the mechanism described in said Patent No. 7t9,979 or similar mechanism, my invention comprises a finger or two or more fingers, fulcrumed on the magazine and shaped to engage with and be actuated by the sliding bar that is moved by the placer to retract the segregating pins or spring-dettants. Each finger has an upturned portion that passes in front of the shuttle next to be transferred to These movements are effected by the shuttle-box, thereby preventing said shuttle from being accidentally shaken out of the magazine. This part of the invention embraces other features, which will now be described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 1 designates the shuttle-magazine, having shuttles 14 therein, (indicated'in dotted lines.) 2 is the oscillating placer, and 3 is a sliding bar controlled by springs 4 at its ends and provided with segregating pins 5, extending through openings in the walls of the magazine. These pins extend below and support the shuttles in the magazine when the placer is. advanced to transfer a fresh shuttle to the shuttle-box; but they are withdrawn from this position when the placer returns to its normal position by the engagement of said placer with a lug 6 on the bar 3. On the magazine 1 are mounted studs 7, on which turn fingers 8, arranged at a suitable distance apart to permit the passage of the placer 2 between them. These fingers have their bearings in the form of coil-springs 9 and extend beneath the bottom or discharge aperture of the magazine 1, being turned up at their free ends, as shown. The wire rods forming the coil-springs 9 and fingers 8 are extended rearwardly to form arms 10, which are pressed against the bar 3 by the action of gravity or in any other suitable manner.

The operation of the above-described apparatus is as follows: When the placer 2 moves back to retract the segregating pins 5 or spring-detents, thereby liberating the lowermost shuttlein the magazine, the fingers 8 are tilted by the action of the bar 3 on the arms 10, and are thereby brought to the operative position, where they hold the shuttle and prevent the latter from being shaken out of the magazine by vibration. Immediately the placer 2 moves forward to transfer a shuttle to the shuttle-box the bar 3 will also move forward under the action of the springs 4 and the said fingers 8 will drop, so that the shuttle can move past their upwardly-turned ends. The fingers 8 remain down until the placer 2 returns to liberate another shuttle, when by the same movement as that above described the fingersare raised to hold said shuttle in place.

The coil-springs 9 permit a resilient action of the fingers 8, thereby preventing breakages and rendering the operation smooth. If desired, however, sufiicient resiliency can be provided in the fingers themselves by making them of suitable form-for example, as flat springs. Other known or suitable means may be employed to actuate'the fingers 8.

In order to provide against failure of the pins 5 to pass beneath and support the shuttles when the placer moves forward, I furnish the top of the placer with curved wings 11. Should the pins 5 fail in their duty, the shuttles will descend and rest on the curved wings 11 and will be raised again to their proper position on the return of the placer. The pins 5 are chamfered at their ends to allow the shuttle that is being raised to pass them easily on its ascent. By these means damage is avoided both to the loom and to the shuttle.

The face or front of the placer is provided with a spring-buffer 12, having its ends turned backward at 13, as shown in Fig. 2.

The detector mechanism or filling-exhaustion-indicating mechanism which I have devised to set in operation the replenishing mechanism is shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The indicating mechanism comprises a weftfeeler 15, carried by an arm 18, attached to the frame of the loom at 19, but electrically insulated therefrom. The feeler 15 may be a simple finger or rod, as shown, or it may be a telescopic finger-such, for example, as that described in United States Patent No. 681,165, granted August 20, 1901, to myself and Frederic E. Kip. On the feeler 15 is mounted one terminal of an electrical circuit constituting what may be termed a circuit-controller. Such controller, as shown, is in the form of a screw 16, which may be adjusted as desired and fixed by a lock-nut 17. At the front of the lay and preferably on the shuttle-box 21 is fixed a metal plate 20, which serves as the other terminal of the electrical circuit 25. An opening '21 is formed through the front of the shuttle-box, and a coincident opening 42 is formed in the shuttle 42. When the lay heats up and there is a shuttle in the shuttlebox at this side of the loom, the feeler-rod 15 enters the coincident apertures 21 and 42 and is impinged upon by the filling or equivalent impinging means in the shuttle. This occurs during the normal operation of the loom, the controller 16 being so disposed relatively to the feeler-rod that as long as there is a sufficient quantity of filling in the shuttle the feeler-rod is first impinged upon, thereby preventing the controller 16 contactingwith the plate 20. As the filling in the shuttle becomes gradually more and more nearly exhausted, the impingement thereof on the feeler-rod 15 will occur later and later until when the filling shall have become exhausted to a predetermined extent said feeler-rod will enter the shuttle to a greater extent than before, thus permitting the plate 20 to impinge upon the controller 16 to close circuit 25 through a suitable magnet, the armature-lever of which acts to set in operation the mechanism for swinging the shuttle-box and for supplying a fresh shuttle.

It will be noticed that if the feeler-rod 15 is allowed to enter the shuttle-box at each pick then when the shuttle is at the opposite side of the lay the controller 16 would be allowed to make contact with the plate 20, and thus act to replenish the filling when such should not take place. To prevent this, I

weft controlling device.

mount a cam 22 on the shaft 23, which is driven to revolve at one-half the rate of the crank-shaft, and I provide a bell-crank lever 24 to be actuated bythis cam and to bear on the feeler-arm 18, so that the feeler will be pressed back at every alternate pick, thus preventing the operation of the feeler when the shuttle is at the opposite side of the loom.

While I have described in this application the feeler impinging upon the filling in the shuttle, it is to be understood that the feeler may impinge upon an interposed piece, as shown in United States Patent No. 724,114, granted Frederic E. Kip March 31, 1903.

In devices of the character to which my invention relates there will always be a predetermined amount of surplus filling remaining on the bobbin at the time of actuation of the This surplus may be situated on the barrel of the bobbin at the point where the feeler-rod strikes, said bar rel being recessed at that point, or the bob bin may be provided with an aperture or recess to permit the feeler-rod to enter the shuttle to a considerable extent at the next beat up of the lay after the filling has been removed from over the mouth of the recess or aperture, as described in the patent of Frederic E. Kip, No. 743,292, dated November 3, 1903.

While I have described above a normally.

open circuit which is adapted to be closed by the contact of the controller 16 with the plate 20, I do not wish to be restricted thereto, as it is obvious that I may employ a normally closed circuit which may be opened to accomplish the purpose of the invention.

The detector mechanism above described and illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is equally well adapted to control the time of operation of a loom-stopping mechanism of a well-known type.

The swinging shuttle-box which I have devised in connection .with the mechanism 'previously described is illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. To carryout this part of the invention, I mount on the swinging shuttle-box a bell-crank lever having its axis of oscillation arranged substantially parallel to the axis of oscillation of the swinging shuttle-box, and

I arrange one arm of the said lever so as to 7 rest against the outside of the swell, while the other arm normally rests on anarm or finger fixed to the stop-rod or rock-shaft of the stop-motion mounted on the lay. Antifriction-rollers are provided on the ends of said lever to reduce the friction. A suitable stop is also provided for limiting the travel of the said bell-crank lever in a direction awayfrom the swelL. By this means when the shuttle-box is swung backward the bellcrank lever swings with it away from the arm on the stop-rod and leaves a clear space for the ejection'of the exhausted shuttle. When,

however, the shuttle-box returns, the hellcrank lever also returns to its normal posi.-

tion on the said arm on the stop-rod ready to actuate the stop-motion should the shuttle not enter the box.

In the stop-motion illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the swell 26, which is pivotally mounted at 27 in the swinging shuttle-box 28, acts on the stop-rod or rock-shaft 29 of the stopmotion through a bell-crank lever 30 31, pivoted at 32 to the back of the swinging shuttle-box 28. The upper arm 30 of this lever presses against the back of the swell 26 through an antifriction-roller 33, while the lower arm 31 extends beyond the lower part of the shuttle-box and bears through an antifriction-roller 34 on an arm or finger 35, fixed on the stop-rod 29, as shown in Fig. 6, and depresses said finger 35 when the shuttle enters the shuttle-box. A stop'36, mounted on the shuttle-box 28 and coacting with'the arm 30,1imits the movement of the lever 30 31 when the shuttle-box is swung backward, as shown in Fig. 7, so that the lever 31 and roller 34 on said lever will not interfere with the ejection of the exhausted shuttle, and the roller will. again rest properly on the finger 35 when the shuttle-box is returned to its normal position. By this means the stop-motion can operate normally, notwithstanding the swinging of the shuttle-box 28.

- It is to be noted that when an exhausted shuttle is to be thrown out of the shuttle-box the finger 37 has passed the shoulder of the knocking-off block 38, as shown in Fig. 7, before the shuttle-box begins its rotary movement, so that the loom is not stopped during the changing of the shuttle.

The swell on the back of the swinging shuttle-box is a very important feature. It is located on the back of the swinging shuttle-box instead of on the front, as shown in United States Patent No. 637,695, granted Frederic E. Kip and myself November 21, 1899. By locating the swell on the back of the shuttlebox, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a much more practical device results, the swell being so ar- Heretofore in the class of shuttle-changing looms in which the shuttle-box is swung backwardly or toward the back of theloom it has been impossible to place the swell on the back of the shuttle-box, for the reason that that part of the dagger extending upwardly in the rear of the shuttle-box, but not connected or attached thereto in any way, would prevent the swinging of the shuttle-box in that direction. It has therefore been necessary to place the swell on the front of the shuttle-box. The present invention provides a shuttle-box with the swell on the back or the inner side thereof, which permits said box to be swung toward the back of the loom,with the dagger in that position. This results from the division of the stop-motion in two parts, one part fastened on the swinging shuttle-box and projecting below the same, the other part comprising a dagger located below and out of the path of the box itself, but in the path of and adapted to be acted on by the part of the stopmotion which is fastened to the box.

According to the present invention, as the shuttle-box is swung out of its way a fresh shuttle is started toward its position and is deposited on the raceway, the first pick being from the raceway, with the shuttle-box itself forming one side, as shown in Fig. 7. Directly after this first pick the shuttle-box is returned to its normal position and is in place ready to receive the shuttle after its pick from the other side of the loom.

By dividing the stop-motion in the manner describedthat is, by securing the bell-crank lever 30 31 to the shuttle-box and allowing it to depend below the box so as to coact with the finger 35 of the dagger when the box is in its normal positionthe swell may be placed on the back of the shuttle-box, and it is then out of the way of the shuttle.

I claim 1. Aweftor filling replenishing mechanism for looms comprising a magazine and a transferring or shifting placer having a curved upper side for the purpose specified.

2. A weft or filling replenishing mechanism for looms comprising a magazine, segregating pins to support the shuttles in said magazine and a transferring or shifting placer having a curved upper side for the purpose specified.

3. Aweft or filling replenishing mechanism for looms comprising a magazine, fingers extending beneath the discharge-aperture of the magazine, a transferring or shifting placer, and means actuated by said placer to move said fingers into and out of operative position.

4. A weft or filling replenishing mechanism for looms comprising a magazine, segregating pins to support the shuttles in said magazine, fingers extending beneath the dischargeaperture of the magazine, a transferring or shifting placer, and means actuated by said placer to move said fingers into and out of operative position.

5. A weft or filling replenishing mechanism for looms comprising a magazine, fingers extending beneath the discharge-aperture of the magazine and having upturned ends, a transferring or shifting placer, and means actuated by said placer to move said fingers into and out of operative position.

6. A weft or filling replenishing mechanism for looms comprising a magazine, a sliding bar provided with segregating pins to support the shuttles in the magazine, a transferring or shifting placer, fingers extending beneath the discharge-aperture of the magazine, and means actuated by said placer to retract said pins and to move said fingers into operative position.

7. A weft or filling replenishing mechanism for looms comprising a magazine, a sliding bar provided with segregating pins to support the shuttles in the magazine, a transferring or shifting placer, a lug on said bar adapted to be engaged by said placer to retract said pins, fingers extending beneath the dischargeaperture of the magazine, and means actuated by said bar upon the retractionof said pins to raise said fingers.

8. A weft or filling exhaustion indicating mechanism for looms comprising a feeler adapted to be impinged upon by means in the shuttle, electrical terminals carried respectively by said feeler and upon a moving part of the lay, said terminals being maintained out of contact during the normal operation of the loom, but permitted by said feeler to come into contact upon the substantial exhaustion of the filling.

9. In a loom the combination of a weft or filling feeler device adapted to be' impinged upon by means on the lay, and means to move said'device out of the path of the lay upon every alternate beat up of the lay.

10. A filling-exhaustion-indicating mechanism for looms .comprising a controlling-feeler device having two members adapted to be impinged upon, means for impinging first on one of said members, and means,when exhaustion of the filling permits thereof, for impinging first on the other member to thereby actuate said loom-controllingl device, and positivelyactuated means to prevent the operation of said indicating mechanism at every alternate beat up of the lay.

11. In a loom the combination with a weftreplenishing mechanism of a swinging shuttle-box having a swell on the back thereof, and means for swinging said box backwardly at the time of the replenishing.

12. 'In a loom the combination with a'weftreplenishing mechanism of a swinging shuttle-box having a swell thereon, of means to swing said box, a stop-motion comprising a dagger, means mounted on the said box and adapted to be swung therewith and actuated by said swell to render the dagger inoperative during the normal operation of the loom.

13. In a loom the combination with a weftreplenishing mechanism of a swinging shuttle-box having a swell thereon, of means to swing said box, a stop-motion comprising a dagger, a lever pivotally mounted on said box and adapted to be swung therewith, one end of said lever normally engaging said swell and the other engaging said dagger.

14. In a loom the combination with a weftreplenishing mechanism of a swinging shuttle-box having a swell thereon, of means to swing said box, a stop-motion comprising a dagger, a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted on said box and adapted to be swung therewith, the arms of said lever normally resting respectively on said swell and dagger, and a stop to limit the travel of said lever when the shuttle-box is swung outward.

15. In a loom the combination with a weft- 'upon by the swell to render said dagger in- ?perative during the normal operation of the 16. In a 100m the combination with aweftreplenishing mechanism of a swinging shuttle-box having a swell on the back thereof, means to swing said box backwardly, a stopmotion comprising a dagger located below and out of the path of the box and means mounted on said box so as to be swung therewith and adapted to coact with said dagger to render the dagger inoperative during the normal operation of the loom.

17. In a loom the combination with a weftreplenishing mechanism of a swinging shuttle-box having a swell thereon, a stop-motion comprising a dagger and means mounted on the shuttle-box so as to be swung therewith into and out of engagement with said dagger.

18. In a loom the following instrumentalities: a weft-replenishing mechanism including a shuttle-box having a swell thereon, and a protecting-stop device said device being in two parts, means for separating said parts when required and means for returning the same to theirnormally acting positions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BAKER. Witnesses:

JOHN WILLIAM THOMAS,

MALcoLM SMETHURs'r. 

